


Evolution

by zarabithia



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-09-07
Updated: 2006-09-07
Packaged: 2019-05-19 20:52:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14880998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarabithia/pseuds/zarabithia
Summary: A slight A/U where Steph's life turned out better.





	Evolution

When Stephanie had been six years old, she'd worn a little red towel around her neck and thought Superman was the best superhero ever. She'd had the lunch boxes, coloring books, and pajamas to prove it.

Stephanie had stopped wearing that towel the first time she'd broken her arm, jumping off the front steps of her porch for take off. She'd learned a very valuable lesson that day: Superman didn't come to Gotham. 

When Stephanie had been fourteen, she'd worn an eggplant hood and thought that being her own independent superhero was pretty awesome. She'd had the cool costume and the superhero boyfriend to prove it. 

Stephanie had stopped wearing the eggplant hood the day her superhero boyfriend's father discovered his secret. On that day, she should have learned a very valuable lesson about the replaceable nature of Robins.

But she hadn't, because when Stephanie was sixteen, she'd worn a Robin costume and thought that being a Girl Wonder was far more fun than being Spoiler ever had been. She'd had the batarangs and access to the Bat Cave to prove it. 

Stephanie had stopped wearing the Robin costume the day that Batman had decided she wasn't good enough. She'd only wanted to prove him wrong, but that desire had somehow led to a Gang War and coming face to face with a criminal that she couldn't have beaten in her red towel, eggplant hood, or yellow-lined cape. 

But Catwoman had defeated him easily. Batman wouldn't have approved of the methods, but he wasn't around, so Stephanie found herself agreeing when Catwoman offered her a couch and a glass of warm milk to recuperate. 

When Stephanie was seventeen, Selina dug out her old Catwoman costume and offered Stephanie "not something nearly as cliche as a sidekick," status. Stephanie had accepted. How could she not? Selina's old costume was eggplant. 

Stephanie never did prove her worth to Batman. But Steph figured she did prove her worth to Catwoman, who happened to be the world's most awesome heroine. Stephanie had cool costume, partner status, and the first name basis to prove it.  


* * *

Batman doesn't approve of Stephanie being Selina’s partner.  
Sometimes, Selina considers caring about that opinion. The urge to give his opinion any weight at all is strongest when Stephanie’s on patrol and Selina’s left watching Helena sleep. Watching that innocent face in the dark, Selina concedes that Bruce’s concern for Stephanie comes from the same place that makes her nervous every time Helena hiccups in her sleep. It’s that ridiculous, parental urge to protect your child no matter how much they don’t need it that drives Batman to attempt to lecture her endlessly on the potential dangers of allowing Stephanie to continue to be her partner. After all, once a Robin, always a Robin, Selina suspects. It’s a pity the man never found the time to tell Stephanie that. Kitten might have appreciated hearing that praise.

His visits have doubled since Helena’s existence forced Selina to take a temporary break. With Stephanie being the new Catwoman, the man is even more anxious about the trouble Stephanie could face on the street.

It’s as though he doesn’t think Selina knows about each and every one of those dangers.

But she does, and while she knows all of the horrible things that could happen to her partner, she also knows exactly how well and hard Stephanie trained - not only with Selina, but with other. . . associates of Catwoman. Selina further knows that she and Stephanie work in far better sync than Batman and Robin ever have.

Most of all, Selina knows that Batman still has a Robin, and will likely continue to have one for the foreseeable future. So, frankly, that makes his whole tirade rather hypocritical in her eyes.

His hypocrisy makes it easy to not care about his opinion on this particular matter. It's also enough to make her want to tell Bruce in no uncertain terms exactly how much trouble Stephanie had been in the day Selina had found her - all because Bruce had decided that she wasn't suited for the vigilante lifestyle. But she'd once given her word to Stephanie that Batman would never know about that, and Selina will keep her promise to her partner. Still, it's difficult to control her temper as Bruce has the audacity to suggest that she fire Stephanie. Selina's not sure how you can callously fire your partner. Maybe there are different rules for mere sidekicks, though. Either way, their current conversation has gone on long enough. 

"Bruce," she interrupts abruptly in the midst of some truly stellar logic, she’s sure, "Catwoman will be home soon, and it’s past Helena’s bedtime."

He blinks twice before handing Helena back to her. The baby gurgles in protest at being separated from her favorite "uncle," and Selina mentally apologizes to her daughter for the passing along the genes that gave Helena a weakness for Bruce Wayne. It doesn‘t bode well for the kid's future. "You’ll think about what I said?" Bruce asks.

"Of course." It’s a lie, but she’s committed far worse grievances in her life. 

She won’t lose any sleep over it.


End file.
